Fall-board for pxanos



(No Model.)

P. SOHIMMEL & S. F. NELSON. FALL BOARD FOR PIANOS.

No. 495,122. Patented Apr. 11, 1898.

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FRIDOLIN SOHIMMEL AND SEARIOK F. NELSON, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

FALL-BOARD FOR PIANOS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 495,122, dated April11, 1893.

Application filed March 14, 1892.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, FRIDOLIN SoHIMMEL and SEAEIoK F. NELSON, both ofMinneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, haveinvented certain Improvements in Fall-Boards for Pianos and Organs, ofwhich the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in fall-boards for pianos andorgans, and its obj ect is to greatly simplify the construction andcheapen the cost of manufacture of fall-boards of the class which aremade up of two principal parts, the rear one of which is adapted to fallor be pressed back by the raising of the other to permit the forwardsection to be "thrown farther back than ordinarily, thus leaving anunusually large space before the key-board and allowing a clear spacefor the music drop.

To this end we do away with all hinges between the frame of the pianoand the parts of the fall-board, simply pivoting the same at their endsto the frame and as hereinafter shown make the device selfoperating andsel flocking without the aid of springs or springparts.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which:-

Figure 1 is a transverse section of a fallboard constructed inaccordance with our invention, showing the fall-board open. Fig. 2 is asimilar view showing the fall-board partially open. Fig. 3 is a similarview showing the fall-board closed.

As shown in the drawings, the keys 2 and the piano casing 3 are of theordinary construction with the exception that all interm ediate supportsor lugs projecting upward between the rear parts of the keys aredispensed with, all such parts being unnecessary to our construction ofthe fall-board.

The fall-board is formed in the two sections 5 and 7 the section 5 beingpivotally supported at points near its upper edge by pins projectingtherefrom into the casing, as shown by dotted lines in the drawings.These simple pivot pins take'the place of the costly hinge which wouldotherwise have to be employed along the full length of the upper edge ofthe Serial No. 424,761. (No model.)

part 5. The other or front section 7 of the fall-board is pivoted nearits rear edge to the frame by similar pins projecting from its ends (seedotted lines in drawings) andis arranged to be thrown down over the keysor to be swung back so that its forward part rests against the underedge of the part 5 and at a much greater incline than usual. As shownthe top part of the part 7 is flat and extends back in a plane surfaceto a point above the pivot (shown in dotted lines) where the blind hinge9 is attached. The front edge of the part 5 has a groove adapted to fitthe rear part of the blind hinge snugly and the part 5 is of such widththat when raised in the position shown in Fig. 3 its edge just comesagainstthe blind hinge so that it seems to form a permanent part of thepiano frame to which the forward part of the fall-board is attached. Thepart 5 is positively and rigidly supported when closed by the strongfingers or lugs 11, one of which is placed at each end of the forwardpart of the fall-board and attached permanently thereto. \Vhen theforward part is raised these fingers are withdrawn from be- I neath thepart 5 and sliding across the flat lower edge thereof permit the part 5to fall of its own weight upon the stops or blocks 13 arranged on thesides of the frame and which prevent the parts 5 from being pushedfarther back so as to expose the interior of the piano to damage. Toprevent the raising of the part 5 after closing we provide one or moreof the hooks 15 extending from the back thereof and adapted to engagethe pins 17 in the frame. Thus it will be seen that the part 5 is safelylocked in either position without regard to the part 7 except as thefingers 11 thereof support the same, which fingers it should be notedform the only sliding connection between the two parts and as theyoperate on the lower unfinished side of course do no damage. The factthat afine surfacejoint is made between the two parts without movementof either part over the same to scrape it forms an important advantageof our invention.

A further advantage is that a smooth unbroken surfaoe of top is madebetween the extreme forward and rear edges of the fall-board.

Having thus fully described our invention,

we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. Thecombination, with the piano casing, of a fall-board composed ofindependently pivoted parts 5 and 7 pivoted at their rear edges, therear part 5 adapted to drop by its own gravity when unsupported by theforward part, the forward edge of the rear part and the rear edge of theforward part of the fallboard adapted to close together to form anunbroken surface between the tops thereof, a blind hinge arranged in thejoint, rigid arms 11 extending from the rear of the forward section andbeneath the lower and forward edge of the rear section and forming theonly and positive support for said lower edge when closed, and stops 13for limiting the fall of the rear part when released by the raising ofthe forward part, substantially as described.

2. In a fall-board the combination, with the piano frame, of the rearsection 5 pivoted near its upper edge to said frame and adapted whenun-supported to drop upon the stops 13 provided on said frame, theforward section pivoted on said frame and provided with thelugs 11arranged to engage the under-side of the section 5 when resting on saidstops and as the forward part is closed or lowered to raise the loweredge of the rear section and positively support the edge thereof incontactwith the rear edge of the forward section, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands this 7th day ofMarch, 1892.

FRIDOLIN SOHIMMEL. SEARIOK F. NELSON.

In presence of A. 0. PAUL, F. S. LYON.

